Practices Universal Friendliness (Mettā) means trains the 4 infinite and divine states by meditation as follows:
'In this, friends, the Noble one with a mind full of friendly loving-kindness pervades first one direction, then the second, then the third and then the fourth, as above even so below, all around, everywhere, boundless, infinite and endless, such Noble friend suffuses and saturates the entire Universe with a mind full of kind friendliness, with an all-embracing, exalted and expanded mind, cultivated, subtle and refined, freed from any hate and all ill-will." Thereafter follows the same verbal device repeated with the specific aspects of understanding compassion, mutual joy and imperturbable equanimity exchanged for friendly loving-kindness. Quite protecting, lifting and releasing. [back]
Without a purpose means for the attainment of Enlightenment. It is said that a corrupted monk, by not being celibate simulating and faking, but not actually living the Noble life, better should eat a red glowing iron-ball than even one bite of alms-food given by faithful devotees of the country! It is because his later self-imposed torture in Hell is caused by his stealing the merit of the virtuous devotees and the possibility for support of real Bhikkhus living the pure Noble life. This Noble life is thereby like a razor: If rightly handled one can cut through to the deathlessness of Enlightenment, but if wrongly handled one can cut oneself into inexpressible long-lasting pain. Buddha once noted that falling from the Holy Life in another tradition was like falling down from a mule: One could just raise up and wipe of the dust. However, falling from the utterly perfect Buddhist Noble Life, was like falling down from an elephant: One might break a leg, the neck or even die! [back]
Detrimental states (akusala dhammā) means mental states that are painful or regretted either here and now, later or much later either by oneself or other beings. It means a conscious deliberate intention and associated mental properties, which are rooted in or tainted, either by greed (lobha) and/or by hate (dosa) and/or by confusion (moha). All such mental states cause unfavourable kammic results, by containing the seeds of unhappy rebirth destinations such as the animal womb, the ghost realm, existence as angry demon or even in Hell . [back]
Advantageous states (kusala dhamma) means mental states that is pleasurable and rejoiced in both here and now, later and much later both by oneself and by other beings. It means an conscious deliberate intention and associated mental properties, which are rooted in or tainted either by non-greed (alobha) and/or non-hate (adosa) and/or by non-confusion (amoha). All such mental states rooted in good and clever intentions cause favourable kammic results by containing the seeds of happy rebirth destinations such as human or the many various levels of divine existence. Supra-mundane advantageous states not related to this world do not lead to any rebirth, but to the 4 degrees of Nobility: Stream-entry, Once-return, None-return and Arahatship. [back]
Neglect (pamāda) means non-awareness, absence of mindfulness, blindness, to ignore, to disregard, to forget, not noticing, not paying attention to, to overlook, to omit. Negligence thereby inevitably leads to carelessness, haste, foolishness, slackness, thoughtlessness, laxity, distraction, lack of judgment, absence of prudence and caution. It comes in two variants: inborn and active. The inborn negligence is caused by an inherent mental blindness, non-intelligence and unclear short-range mentality caused by the inborn yet reversible root of confusion (moha). Kammicly it is caused by thinking and acting in prior lives, as if other intelligent and wise beings were futile!! The active negligence is caused by the often quite deep self-deception "That one already knows all and much better, so there is no need to pay further attention!!" This both tragic and some-what comic self imposed blindness is also reversible, but not before one's own futility is discovered and admitted by realistic self-surrender. Awareness (sati) established continuously on form, feeling, mentality and phenomena is therefore the first crucial and indispensable step towards self-control, mastery, Nobility and Awakening! [back]
Alertness (appamādo) means awareness, presence of mindfulness, watchfulness, vigilance, attention, observation, careful, concern, and cautious consideration thereby inevitably leading to thoroughness, meticulousness, enthusiasm, seriousness, diligence, precision, prudence, common sense and good judgment. This naturally and logically pays off as all mistakes are eradicated. Their painful delayed after effects are thereby prevented! It is a most precious mental ability developed and cultivated by awareness of present posture, current action, body as form, present feeling, present mood or mentality, and present phenomena as just mental states, right here and now, unbroken and undistracted even for a single moment. It is the prime and indispensable key to Nibbana. As the Buddha said in his last words: "Transient are all constructions. Strive therefore enthusiastically!" (appamādena sampadetha: DN 16) [back]
Laziness and Lethargy (thīna-middha) means non-energetic, inert, inactive, idle, indolence, lethargy, sluggishness, static immobility, sloth and torpor inevitably leading to laxity, carelessness, sloppiness, neglect and imprecision. It is the third mental hindrance (nīvaraṇa) that grows, when one is not paying attention to its presence, especially after over-eating. It is reduced by directing attention rationally to the aspects of initiative, launching into effort and endurance of exertion until completion. It is completely eliminated by meditation 'turning on' the perception of artificial inner light (āloka-kasiṇa). [back]
